How to knit a handbag or market bag using T-shirt yarn

Recycle  your old T-shirts or jersey pajamas !!Turn them into a knitted handbag or market bag !

Click here to see how to turn the old t-shirts you never wear  into something  useful : make some Noodles yarn !

Tutorial :

You will need T-shirt yarn made from seamless T-shirts or jersey pajamas. You will have to cut stripes of 2 different widths : 1.5 - 2 cm for the bottom , the upper part of the bag and the handles  and 

3 cm for the lacy part of the bag .

Part  A : How to knit the bottom of the bag 

Cast on 6 sts and divide them on 3 double pointed needles 8 to 10 mm.

round 1: kfb in every stitch to the end of the round.

(12 sts). Place marker at the beginning of the round.

round 2 : *yo , K1*  to the end of the round (24 stitches).

round 3 : Knit to the end of the round (knit all yarn overs through the back loop to avoid holes)

round 4 :  *yo , K2*  to the end of the round. 

round 5: Knit to the end of the round. 

round 6:  *yo , K3*  to the end of the round .

round 7 : Knit  to the end of the round.

round 8 :  *yo , K4*  to the end of the round .(When there is not enough space for your stitches on the double pointed needles,  transfer them to circular needles with a short cable.)

round 9 : Knit  to the end of the round.

round 10 :  *yo , K5*  to the end of the round .

round 11 : Knit  to the end of the round.

(You now have 72 stitches on your needles)

Knit 6 rounds without increasing.

Part  B : How to knit the body of the bag 

Switch to 12 mm circular needles.

round A : *yo , K2tog*  to the end of the round.

round B : Knit  to the end of the round.

Repeat these two rounds till the mess part of the bag measures 20 cm unstretched .

Switch to 8 mm circular needles.

Knit  1 round decreasing 4 stitches (=knit 15, K2tog,

knit 15, K2tog,knit 15, K2tog,knit 15, K2tog).

 Now you have 68 stitches on your needles.

Knit one more round and then knit 6 rounds in garter stitch .

Part  C : How to knit the handles of the bag 

You have 68 stitches on your needles.  

Cast off 15 stitches, knit 6 , cast off  7 stitches, knit 6 , 

cast off 15 stitches, knit 6 , cast off  7 stitches, knit  the last 6 stitches (the 24 stitches (6+6+6+6) we knitted  are for the handles of the bag) . 

We continue knitting the last 6 stitches  for 80 to 90 rows and our first handle is ready . We join it with the 6 stitches on the opposite side using a crochet hook .

 We repeat the same procedure for the second handle .

Have in mind that the bag and its handles are very stretchy so they shouldn't be too long . You can embelish your bag with a crochet flower  using  T-shirt yarn again (This time you will have to cut  T-shirt stripes 1 to 1,5 cm wide) .

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Visit the label knitting .

Κάντε κλικ εδώ για γραπτές οδηγίες στα 

Ελληνικά .

Click here for tutorial in Greek .

Have a nice evening !!!